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Monday, June 9, 2014

After the Storm

So much for that mental clarity and space I was going to have, and catch up on blogging and all photo editing. Best laid plans and all.

So much to catch up on but let me start at with most recent events. The “storm” was really a non event, more of stiff breeze on the odd occasion. Angus sailed through his surgery and the days that followed brilliantly.

We got up bright and early the morning of hospital admission, packed his bag and mine with things to keep us entertained for the inevitable waiting, and being very little traffic and being closer to the hospital than we had thought, actually arrived 15 minutes early for 730 admission (no breakfast for boyo). Sisters came too, Dad had to drop off the truck for some maintenance (am sure the nursing staff raised eyebrows to see such an entourage!) The Husband arrived soon to collect the girls.

Angus was settled into his bed in a small children’s ward, where it was clear there were two other much younger children in front of Angus and one older one to follow him. Angus was quite happy to settle back with remote control and ABC kids TV all to himself (own personal TV!). However he was NOT impressed with the open backed hospital gown despite being allowed to keep on his underwears, as he calls them. He was a very nervous little boy walking down to the theatre suit after not being worried at all until just then. Staff were excellent, anaesthetic nurse was awesome and told Angus a fairly long and wild story as she held the mask and then I was whisked away. May have had a tear in my eye but managed to hold it together.

Absolutely starving by this point so went to the cafe at the hospital where I was charged a kings ransom for a very delicious fancy egg and bacon burger (had another name but that’s what it was!) and heavenly coffee. Some more waiting and then The Husband’s turn – was summonsed to recovery where Angus was waking up. He was wheeled back to the ward before long. Very pale faced, sleepy and not quite as bright eyed and excited as he had been before hand. (may have also had another tear in my eye,which is why Dad went to recovery and not mum).

It was pretty clear that Angus was going to sleep the afternoon away (encouraged) so dispatched with the girls we did some grocery shopping. And a few other fast errands. Returned to find a lovely bunch of flowers had been delivered for Angus, along with a teddy bear from Miss Mac and the school kids. The Husband said he didn’t understand, until the card was read out and a big smile went across his pale little face.

There were only two kids in the little ward that night, the older boy and Angus; both mum’s called it quits on the TV at around 930. Settled in for the night on a mattress on the floor beside the bed. Icecream at 430am along with meds (then tucked back in) after being a fantastic patient throughout the night, despite a half dodgy heart rate monitor getting all grumpy and beepy from time to time. I surprisingly woke feeling not overly death-like despite the fairly interrupted nights sleep.

Dr obviously woke bright eyed and bushy tailed as well and Angus was given the all clear to go home at 8am!

We stayed in town a few days, at a lovely little two bedroom unit in a quiet and leafy suburban area that was close to most conveniences. Angus was really great throughout, although had one or two rough moments during the nights when awoken for pain medication, with dry sore throat. Ice-blocks helped a great deal then back to sleep. Although waking 4 hourly to keep the panadol/nurofen rotation up had me feeling quite like I had a newborn again…

Angus has not looked back at all since coming home. We dropped all pain medication on arrival home (exception one dinner time he asked for some) and he has.not.stopped.eating. Keeps asking when he can run and jump and play. Being a rough nut with a tendency to fall flat on his face regularly I have applied the handbrake as I do not have any desire to be racing off to town with bleeding from the wound site!

And as for the time I thought I would have on my hands…surprisingly, sleeping in a little, keeping a little house tidy, a few loads of washing and having late afternoon outings/walks and doing not much took up an awful lot of time!

Am totally amazed at the obvious pretty high pain threshold and stoicism of our boy. And how bouncy he is now, that he is obviously getting a far better (more oxygenated) nights sleep!